Headlines this week feature the deaths of several celebrities—the king of pop, a poster queen, a pitchman and a sidekick. Sudden death shocks us, as if it’s not supposed to happen, at least not during the prime time of our lives. That seems to intensify the tragedy and deepen the loss. It gives cause to reflect on the unexpected and often unexplainable that’s woven into the fabric of every life. Their star quality is a metaphor . . . bright stars shine for a time, blaze across the universe, and then their glow either eventually or suddenly, vanishes.
Life changes and usually bears little resemblance to the pattern you may have anticipated. The unexpected teaches us valuable lessons of the treasure of Now. We never really know what’s next on the horizon or what tomorrow will bring even with the most careful planning. So take stock. Are you waiting for the “perfect” time to make a change, to go for a dream, to take steps toward a life-enhancing move? Waiting can be costly to your happiness. Are you feeling stuck? Suffering from stagnation? That’s not really living. Life is for breathing passion into your days, or at least, breathing with as much energy as you can muster at the moment.
Life is about growing and stretching daily, putting more of who you are into expression, even when life tests you to the core. No matter your opinion of Michael Jackson, he leaped upon the world’s stage with his desire to be the fullest expression of talent as he moonwalked himself across the planet. Yet, growth is not just about expressing talent. It’s also tapping more of what lies within. Farrah Fawcett was far more than a famous head of hair. She transformed into a model of courage, hope and perseverance for the world to see.
Loss brings to the forefront the fragility of life, the fragments of time perhaps too often taken for granted. What are you doing with all those slivers? Are they blazing the trail of the legacy you wish to leave? Are they leading in the direction of what you value? Are you spending your time expressing what you desire? What choices would you make if you could see into the future and saw that time was not on your side?